


Sauce for the Gander

by sammymadison



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: F/M, Inspired by Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-08
Updated: 2015-11-08
Packaged: 2018-04-30 15:28:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5168945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sammymadison/pseuds/sammymadison





	1. Chapter 1

“What the fuck.” InuYasha mumbled. He had stopped off at the neighborhood bar for a few drinks with the guys, so he glanced at the numbers on the door to the apartment, just to be sure he got off the elevator on the right floor. He had been out of town for a month, working on an undercover assignment. During that time, Kagome must have had the building superintendent change the lock.

 

He was a little annoyed that his key would not open the door, but not worried. The door showed no signs of jimmying, and besides, he would have heard through the department grapevine if she had reported a burglary. Kagome knew better than to bother him on his cell phone, but he also knew that he checked his text messages periodically, and that he wouldn’t be too mad if she sent him a text about something as important as her apartment being broken into. She had paged him a couple of weeks earlier. The page hadn’t been flagged as urgent. Kikyo had taken a week’s vacation to be with him, so he had not bothered to call Kagome back. Now he figured she had wanted to let him know about the new lock. Regardless, he had no intention of knocking on the door like a pet dog begging to be let in.

 

By the look of things, the superintendent had swapped the cheap old doorknob out for another one just like it, which meant it was a flimsy piece of shit. InuYasha got his wallet out of the back pocket of his jeans and pulled out a piece of plastic at random. Glancing at the card, he smirked. Being a cop didn’t pay much, but that hardly mattered. Being Inu Taisho’s favorite son had its perks, one of which was the black American Express card.

 

Unlike his half-brother Sesshomaru, whom he regarded as a pathetic drone, he was not stuck in an office all day. His job as a police detective allowed him to make his own schedule and move about freely. Papa’s financial support further assured that he had the money it took to live his live the way he wanted. Here in Hartford, he lived in a nice penthouse suite with a view, but not a multi-million dollar one. He drove a big new Ford pickup. None of the guys knew he kept a Ferrari in storage. He was conducting an affair with Kikyo, the secretary for the Detective Bureau, but he bought her a lot of expensive presents and kept up constant pressure on her to keep her mouth shut about their relationship.

 

InuYasha enjoyed hanging out with the other cops and being regarded as one of the guys. He liked having a steady girlfriend who loved him for himself, and not his money. He had taken full advantage of the chance to cut loose afforded him by his undercover assignment and his father’s money in a city where he was a stranger, but now it felt good to be back in Hartford. He had noticed Kagome’s car in the parking lot, so he knew she was home. In a few minutes, she’d be riding the high hard one.

 

He slid the card into the gap between the door and the doorjamb. The lock disengaged without a struggle. Kagome’s apartment was very small, and the door opened directly into her sparse living room. The tiny room contained an ugly, green, but comfortably overstuffed couch, a coffee table she had purchased for ten bucks from the Salvation Army thrift store, and a television set handed down by her mother. The television, which was square as a box and decorated in fake wood-grained plastic, resided in an “entertainment center” constructed of boards and milk crates.

 

He took a deep, appreciative sniff, as he always did when entering Kagome’s apartment. The place wasn’t much to look at, but he knew it would smell like the fresh lemons she sliced for her drinking water and whatever she was having for dinner. Kagome did not wear perfume, and hardly any make-up. She kept her apartment immaculate, without using chemical cleaners or air fresheners, because she knew these things irritated his sinuses.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

Kagome shoved her way through the glass door of the bail bonds office, white cardboard bakery box balanced on one palm and held at shoulder level, waitress-style. “Breakfast has arrived!”

 

“Bring that over here. Right here, girl.”  Jakotsu, the office manager and Kagome’s direct supervisor, pointed at his desktop.  Miraculously, though the desk was cluttered with a state-of-the-art computer, a ancient red IBM Selectric II typewriter, precarious skyscrapers of papers and files, and a plethora of beauty products, there was a clear spot just the right size for the box.

 

Kagome set the box in the designated ‘doughnut box’ spot. After noon, the spot became the designated ‘Chinese take-out’ spot or the ‘bucket of greasy fried chicken’ spot.

 

Kagome had to push her way between two bond enforcement agents to get to the coffee maker. She feinted to the right out of long habit, neatly evading Miroku’s infamous ‘wandering hand’.

 

Coffee mugs in hand, the co-workers re-grouped around Jak’s desk. “Back off, back off peoples.” Jak ordered, making shooing motions with his slender, elegantly manicured fingers.   With a flourish, he slid the stretchy gold band that adorned the box out of the way and raised the lid.  As always, he managed to instill his actions with mannerisms gained from years of faithfully studying his idol, Vanna White, turning over letters on Wheel of Fortune.

 

“Ooooh.” Jak sighed in ecstasy.  “Pastel sprinkles.”

 

Bankotsu grabbed a maple bar, holding it close to his face and inhaling the heavenly scent of the deceptively plain tan frosting.

 

“The ones with the lavender frosting were just meant for you, Miroku.” Jakotsu flirted with the handsome bounty hunter.  “They bring out the color of your eyes.”

 

“Actually, I did pick them out for you, Miroku. I know how much you love blueberry jelly.”  Kagome chipped in, her sweet voice sounding even more innocent than usual.

 

This brought about a spate of laughter. Everyone there knew the story involving Miroku, the blonde waitress at the International House of Pancakes, and the blueberry jelly.

 

The door at the other side of the room banged open. Mukotsu stuck his head out.  The boss looked like a grumpy dwarf.  Just not cute, like the one made famous by the Walt Disney movie.  “Miroku, Bank, you jokers hit the street. ” He sneered.  “And stop with the giggling, ladies.  You girls sound like Wilma Flintstone and Betty Rubble.”

 

“As long as I get to be Betty!” Jakotsu responded.  “Now butt out and get back in your cave, you hideous little troll.”  Mukotsu’s head disappeared and the door slammed loudly, lock clicking into place.  “Girl, do I have some hot gossip for you.”

 

Kagome pulled her office chair over to Jak’s desk.

 

“You are never gonna guess who we are going to be posting bond for today.”

 

Kagome took a bite of her lemon filled doughnut, dislodging a snowfall of powdered sugar. She made a point of chewing.  She swallowed, picked up her coffee cup, and blew on it, as though that would actually cool it off.

 

“You are no fun at all.” Jak pouted.

 

Kagome, being a nice, considerate girl, gave in and asked, “Is it someone famous?”

 

Jak licked pink frosting from his index finger.

 

“Someone we know, then.”

 

Jak wiggled his perfectly groomed eyebrows at her and pointed the licked-clean finger at her. “You’re getting warm-er!”

 

Kagome bit off another chunk of her doughnut, chewing way longer than necessary and treating Jak to a gimlet stare.

 

“You are soooo not fun.” He complained.  “The last name begins with a ‘T’.”

 

Kagome didn’t need to swallow. The bite of doughnut had dissolved in her mouth.  “Someone we know, whose name begins with a ‘T’.

 

“’T’.”

 

“Donald Trump.” She guessed.

 

“Donald Trump is famous. Wait a minute.  You know Donald Trump?”  Jak asked, intrigued.  “You never told me you knew Donald Trump.”

 

Kagome rolled her office chair back to her workstation.

 

“Taisho. Rin Taisho.”  Jak whined.  “Inu-Hottie’s last name is Taisho, isn’t it?” 

 

Kagome rolled back over to Jak’s desk. “We posted bond for a Rin Taisho?”

 

Jak held up a manila file-folder, teasing her with it. Kagome lunged, grabbing it out of his hand.

 

“Rin Taisho. 20-year-old Japanese-American human female.  $100,000.00 bond.”  She looked up at Jak, who raised his eyebrows.

 

“That’s a really high bond!” She exclaimed.

 

“She belongs to some animal rights group. She broke into a research facility and liberated a hundred rabbits being used for chemical experiments.  Apparently, the court regards her as a flight risk because she’s a little out there.”  Jak spun his finger in a spiral along side his head.

 

“It says here that her adopted father, Sesshomaru Taisho, is the party responsible for the bond. That’s InuYasha’s brother.  He made InuYasha’s life a living hell, because of him being half human.  It seems odd that he chose to adopt a human.”  Kagome pondered.

 

“Have you met him? Is he as cute as InuYasha?”  Jak asked avidly.  Jak had a huge, unrequited crush on the dog-eared hanyou.

 

“I really wouldn’t know. InuYasha is estranged from his family.  He’s the only Taisho I have ever met.  Or want to meet, for that matter.  From what he says, they are a bunch of racists.”

 

“How is that even possible?” Jak argued.  “InuYasha’s mother must have been a human, and Sesshomaru Taisho adopted a human daughter.”

 

“I don’t know, Jak. I really don’t know.”  Kagome felt a headache coming on.  She was really beginning to get tired of the headaches, and the sick feeling she got in the pit of her stomach, when she had to deal with the idea that her “perfect boyfriend” was not just a control freak, but a pathological liar as well.

 

“If you really don’t want to meet Sesshomaru Taisho, you can mind the office and I can go get his signatures on the forms.” Jak tried to swipe the file out of Kagome’s hands.

 

“I’ll do it. It’s my job, after all.”

 


	3. Chapter 3

Kagome came from the working class side of Hartford. The only time she had ever ventured into the financial district, where some of the wealthiest banking and insurance corporations in the world maintained their corporate offices, was on a sixth-grade class trip.  The Taisho Building loomed like a gigantic iceberg over the lesser skyscrapers.  The lower third of the building reflected the streetscape, right down to her own insignificant presence, while the upper two-thirds held captive the image of the bright blue sky and fluffy white clouds in its glass walls.

 

She stepped smartly up the polished black granite steps and made her way through the revolving door, which spat her out in a spacious lobby. A pretty demoness standing behind a desk appeared to be in charge of things.  Kagome guessed she was the receptionist, and clacked her way across the shining floor.  She felt sweat break out on the palms of her hands.  She didn’t have anything to be nervous about, but this level of ostentatious prosperity made her uncomfortable.

 

She dug a business card out of her handbag. “Kagome Higurashi, of Shichinintai Bail Bonds.  Sesshomaru Taisho is expecting me.”  Sneakily, she wiped her sweaty palms on her skirt.

 

“Take the elevator on your right,” the demoness instructed, pointing helpfully with her French-manicured claw, “to the top floor. It’s the button marked ‘P’.”

 

“Thank you.” Kagome was blushing as she walked away.  In spite of her friendliness, she felt that the receptionist had her pegged as a total rube.

 

The elevator doors opened and she stepped out into another grand foyer, and another reception desk. This one was presided over by a tiny, olive-green demon sitting in what appeared to be some kind of glorified high-chair.  Kagome produced another business card.  “Kagome Higurashi, representing Shichinintai Bail Bonds, to see Sesshomaru Taisho.”

 

The little demon scrambled down from his perch and grabbed the card out of her hand. He peered at it suspiciously.   

 

“He is expecting me at ten o’clock.” Kagome hinted. 

 

The demon squawked in apparent alarm. “Follow me.”  He threw back over his shoulder.  Kagome followed the tiny fellow obediently.

 

The demon knocked on an imposing door, then opened it, just a few inches and with great hesitancy. “Sesshomaru-sama, Kagome Higurashi of Shichinintai Bail Bonds is here about Rin.” 

 

She heard a deep male voice respond. Her escort gestured to indicate she should enter, then turned and scampered back down the hallway.

 

Finally, she had gained admittance to the inner sanctum. A ridiculously massive mahogany desk, a black leather executive office chair to scale, and one, much smaller chair obviously intended to make any interloper feel diminished were the only furnishings in the office.  It would appear that InuYasha’s brother was more interested in intimidation than feng-shui.  Floor-to-ceiling windows looked out on a dizzying backdrop of blue sky and white clouds.   Sesshomaru must enjoy the view, because his chair faced away from his visitor, and toward the windows.

 

Kagome used the opportunity to swipe her sweaty palms over her thighs one more time. Sesshomaru chose that moment to speak.

 

“You reek of my half-brother.” Though the intonation was kind of snotty, his voice was smooth and rich, like deep, dark chocolate.  He spun his chair around so he was facing her. 

 

How theatrical. And she had thought Jakotsu was a drama-queen.  But, oh, my, gosh!  While InuYasha was handsome, his full-demon brother was drop-dead gorgeous.  An Adonis.  Strike that thought.  He was a god.  A god masquerading as a businessman in an Armani suit.  She had never seen such a perfect face.  It was perfectly symmetrical, and disciplined to perfect coldness.  But his eyes, which were more slanted and narrow than InuYasha’s, burned like swirling amber pools of molten …  lava.  Ahem.

 

She stepped forward and set the file folder on the desk. There was no evidence of a pen in sight, so she fished one out of  her purse, noticing it was a promotional item from ‘Vinnie’s Garage’.  The items she had introduced to this environment looked tacky and pathetic juxtaposed with such luxury, cheap and plebian, kind of like herself.   Quickly, she shoved the file and pen across the desk to Sesshomaru.

 

“I’ve marked the places you need to sign. I will take care of filing the necessary paperwork with the court.  You or Miss Taisho’s attorney will want to contact the jail to find out what time she will be released.  I am sure you understand that the court’s objective in stipulating this bond it to assure that Miss Taisho will return for her subsequent court dates.”

 

The god across the table did not even deign to look at the paltry articles she had shoved under his nose.

 

“You did not answer my question, girl. Why do you carry the scent of my half-brother?”  His voice, while still beautiful, had become cold as ice.

 

‘Pull yourself together, Kagome.’ She told herself.  ‘Sesshomaru is exerting a lot of effort to be intimidating, so he obviously has an agenda.  Otherwise a guy like this would just be polite and businesslike, to get me out of his office as quickly as possible.”  

 

“InuYasha told me that his brother had learned to read using “The Art of War” and Machiavelli’s “The Prince”, instead of “Dick and Jane”, but I was under the impression he was exaggerating.”

 

“The exception proves the rule. Even my duplicitous half-sibling is capable of truthfulness, he simply does not make a habit of it.”  He sounded almost amused now.

 

She was surprised when he actually picked up the red plastic and pot-metal pen and began perusing the bail bond documents. He was a quick reader, and signed decisively in all the places she indicated.  When he was done, she waited for him to slide the file back across the desk to her.  When he didn’t, she stretched over the desk to take it from him.  Almost playfully, he laid his forearm across the file, looked her straight in the eye, and smirked. 

 

Sesshomaru prided himself on his ability to quickly and accurately evaluate the worth of others. He had no compunctions about including or excluding beings from his presence, i.e. kicking them out of his office, based on less than a minute’s observation.  Some, whom he deemed particularly vile, he systematically set up for financial ruin based on such judgment calls. 

 

His brother’s girlfriend was a knockout, he decided. She had the face of an angel.  Her frumpy skirt failed to hide her shapely hips and legs that went on for miles.  The shape of her breasts when she had leaned over his desk had literally taken his breath away.  He’d seen bigger, for sure, but their curve and heft called out to him, making him want to take them in his hands, in his mouth.  

 

But, as a dog-demon, vision was not his primary sense. His senses of smell and hearing were much more important.  Her voice was light and low and calm, even though he had been doing his best to provoke her.  And when she spoke, she didn’t say much.  A rare quality in a female of any species.  And, as to her scent.  Well, her scent could only be classified as beautiful, not marred by any perfumery, and he would wager she used unscented products to bathe with, as well.  In fact, the only thing to mar her scent was the scent of his brother. 

 

Strangely enough, while he did not like or approve of his brother in any way, shape, or form, his scent on this woman did not make her less attractive to Sesshomaru. Rather, it had the opposite effect, because the presence of his brother’s scent marked her as PACK.  To her further credit, his brother’s scent was the only one he could sense on her.

 

In such times as these, a woman who had only one lover was a creature of virtue.

 

The only aspect of her personality left for him to test was her loyalty.

 

He steepled his fingers, establishing what he classified as ‘deep eye contact’, something he did very rarely, and never with strangers. “Kagome.  Such a pretty name.  So fitting for such a pretty girl.”

 

Kagome flushed. A fascinating blush, the most delicate shade of pink, which extended from her high cheekbones to the high crests of her…

 

“If you are finished, I need to file the papers you signed at the courthouse. That is, if you actually want to be able to pick your daughter up today.”

 

His smirked widened into a smile, and a beautiful one at that. “Let me give you a ride to the courthouse.”  Anyone who knew him would have been surprised.  It had come out as more of an offer than a command.

 

She had taken the bus into the financial district, sure she would have a problem finding a place to park her car downtown. The fact that he had picked up on that detail did not surprise her in the least.  She knew all about the capabilities of the canine nose.

 


	4. Chapter 4

Kagome was surprised and pleased to discover that Sesshomaru’s car was ‘just’ a Cadillac Escalade. It didn’t matter that it was a luxurious vehicle, and every bit as out of reach to someone like her, i.e., someone who was chronically broke, as the Mclaren she had been expecting would have been.   

 

Sesshomaru was surprised and pleased when Kagome did not reach over and fiddle with his sound system, even though he had the impression she wasn’t all that partial to the classical music he favored. Nor did she touch anything on the dash.  She had acted a little startled when he opened the passenger-side door and helped her into the seat, and she had blushed charmingly when he reached across her body to fasten the seatbelt for her.  By the time he put the Escalade in gear and reversed out of his parking space, she had snuggled down into the seat, seemingly content to shut up and ride.

 

“So,” he asked once he had pulled out onto the street, “are you really this perfect, or has my little brother just got you really well trained?”

 

She looked over, her big blue pansy-eyes wide. “Perfect?  Me?  What are you talking about?”

 

They had arrived at the courthouse, and he cut the wheel to the side to turn in. She directed him to a convenient parking spot, then rummaged around in her purse, emerging triumphant with a placard she placed in the windshield.   “The one and only perk of my job.  I can park just about anywhere I want, but only at the courthouse.”

 

“And the police station and the jail.” She added, after a moment’s thought.  “I travel in exalted circles.”

 

Unlike the women he was used to, she unfastened her own seatbelt, popped her own door open, and had scrambled out and was standing on the pavement waiting by the time he got to the passenger side of the Escalade.

 

She was startled when he offered her his arm, lending her the shelter of his much larger body as he cleared a path through the jostling flotsam and jetsam of society, namely lawyers and their clients, all the way to the clerk’s office.

 

“Hey, Clara.” Kagome greeted the clerk.  “Here is the paperwork on Rin Taisho.”  She pushed the papers across the counter to her acquaintance, oblivious to the older woman’s none-too-subtle curiosity.

 

Sesshomaru found the way the woman’s eyes kept darting back and forth between him and Kagome somewhat amusing.

 

“So, Kagome. Who’s your friend?”

 

“Oh, how rude of me! I’m sorry!  Clara, this is Sesshomaru Taisho, he is the party who is posting bond on Rin Taisho.  He’s her adoptive father.”

 

Clara looked deflated, but not defeated. “Are you related to Kagome’s boyfriend InuYasha, Mr. Taisho?”  She queried.  After all, ‘Enquiring minds want to know!’  Even in a big city like Harford, the police force, the jail, and the courthouse formed an insular community, rife with rumors and scandals.

 

“To my everlasting shame, InuYasha is indeed my half-brother, Clara.”

 

The line was building up behind them, furthering his amusement at the situation.

 

“I’ve tried to warn our little Kagome about your brother, sir. But she’s been with him for years, and she’s just so loyal!”  Turning her attention to Kagome, and acting as though they were alone, she hissed, “I have it on good authority he’s two-timing you with the Detective Bureau’s new secretary!”

 

“You mean Kikyo?” Kagome laughed, and Sesshomaru was surprised when his instincts verified that her amusement was genuine, and not covering up.  “It’s just gossip, Clara.  Try not to pay too much attention to the things you hear, no matter how amusing they are!”

 

Giving a little wave, Kagome turned and made her way out of the office, past the twenty impatient supplicants who had been kept waiting in line by Clara’s curiosity.

 

Sesshomaru tamped down his own curiosity until they were back in the Escalade. Kagome began giving him directions to the bonds office, but he cut her off.  “It’s after one.  I think I owe you lunch.”

 

Once they were on the road again, he commanded, “Explain why you don’t believe what your friend told you. About InuYasha and his secretary.  Surely you are not so arrogant as to assume you are better than this Kikyo, and thus my brother would not desire another woman?”

 

Kagome laughed once again, and he marveled at how unselfconscious and unrehearsed it sounded. “Arrogant?  Me?  No way.  Kikyo is my cousin, and it is an established fact that she is better than me in every way.  Everyone says so, even my mother.”  There did not seem to be any bitterness in her voice.

 

If this was true, he decided Kikyo must be remarkable indeed. “So why are you so sure my brother and this cousin of yours are not betraying you?  Is Kikyo beautiful, intelligent, and a candidate for sainthood as well?  For surely you realize that InuYasha is more than capable of cheating.”

 

“Neither Kikyo nor InuYasha are saints. Let me ask you a question.  How do you feel about women who wear a lot of make-up and heavy perfume?”

 

“I do not like it.”

 

“Well, since we were both twelve, I have never seen Kikyo without pancake make-up. She also douses herself in Kate Spade eau de parfum.  It smells lovely to humans, but it is way too powerful to be tolerated by a demon or half-demon with a nose like yours or InuYasha’s.  I’m sure you noticed that I don’t wear any scent at all.  That’s because InuYasha is so fussy about it.  Any hint of perfume, and he won’t stop complaining.  Additionally, Kikyo is very self-centered.  She would never cater to InuYasha’s special needs and demands.  Therefore InuYasha would not cheat on me with Kikyo.”  

 

Her stomach growled loudly. “So, where are we going for lunch?”

 

“How do you feel about Japanese?” Sesshomaru only cared for Japanese cuisine, being an older demon who preferred to eat his food raw.  Normally, he would not offer his date a choice.  Truly, he must be besotted.

 

Kagome shuddered, a disgusted look on her face. To him, even this horrible look appeared charming.  Besotted indeed.

 

“I absolutely loathe Japanese food!” She stated vehemently.

 

“I shall view your statement as a challenge. You shall accompany this Sesshomaru to the restaurant of his choice, and if you are still unhappy when we leave…”

 

“What’s with the ‘this Sesshomaru’ stuff. Do you actually consider yourself royalty?”  Kagome huffed.

 

“The Taisho family is very ancient, descended from the Kami. That I am a citizen of the United States of America does not make this any less true.”

 

Kagome smiled, noticing that he had used the ‘I’ word when she called him on his arrogance.

 

He noticed her triumphant look. “As ‘I’ was saying before so rudely interrupted, ‘I’ will treat you to a dinner at your choice of restaurant.”  And he meant it.  Anyplace in the world.  He found himself almost hoping she could not be persuaded to enjoy Japanese food.

 

He hated to bring up his brother’s name, but his dratted curiosity kicked in once again. “To what type of place do you go when my brother takes you out?”

 

She giggled a little at his quaint turn of phrase. “Nowhere.”

 

“This ‘No Where’ is some ridiculously named new restaurant, I assume?” He pictured miniscule portions adorned with little bits of herb and a few squiggles of sauce.

 

“No. Your brother and I never go out.  Anywhere.”

 

Normally his driving was impeccable, but he felt the Escalade swerve a little when the meaning of what she was imparting to him sunk in.

 

“You must understand, your brother is just so sensitive. Any sound or smell can easily ruin his whole day.  He likes spending time at my apartment.  Sometimes I cook, sometimes he picks up a pizza.  Your brother LOVES pizza, the greasier the better is his motto!”

 

They arrived at the restaurant, and this time Kagome waited for him to open the door and help her out of the Escalade.

 

The place was busy, and Kagome thought they would have to wait to be seated. She was surprised when the hostess, a young demoness dressed in kimono, bowed profusely and led them to a quiet, isolated table, right next to a little grotto, with a trickling waterfall, ferns, and orchids.

 

Sesshomaru pulled her chair out for her and seated her properly. When he took his own seat, their eyes met over the table.  She smiled at him.  “Even if the food is as nasty as I fear, the atmosphere and the company will be worth it.”

 

“I am rather hoping you will claim to dislike your meal, so that I may look forward to living up to the terms of our wager.” He responded gallantly.  It was such an uncharacteristic thing for him to say, but he loved the way she blushed and looked down at her plate.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

Driving her back to work after their luncheon date, Sesshomaru asked Kagome if she had found her meal palatable. She claimed to have hated the cuisine, and told him that she had only eaten the items he chose for her to spare his feelings.   When he gave her the choice of where she wanted to go to dinner, as he had agreed, she told him she wanted to return to the ‘their’ restaurant.  That very night.  She claimed that, while she still found Japanese food revolting, she had become instantly addicted to the ambience of the place.

 

“You are a contrary woman.” Sesshomaru told her when he pulled into a vacant parking space in front of the bail bonds office.  “I can understand now why my brother refuses to take you anywhere.  You are fortunate I lost my bet with you, or I would never agree to go anywhere with you again.”  She waited for him to open her door for her.  He smirked when he noticed that she had left her seatbelt in place, giving him an excuse to lean over and unbuckle it for her.  He made sure that his long, smooth hair touched her skin when he did so.

 

That night, he began teaching her to use chopsticks. She told him manipulating the bamboo sticks reminded her of playing ‘Operation’.  Then she had to explain what ‘Operation’ was.

 

Soon, he planned on introducing her to the enjoyment of consuming uncooked meat, starting, he thought, with some wonderful, thinly sliced Kobe beef marinated in citrus.

 

Later that week, she told him she found the soft clack of chopsticks soothing, like the sound of trickling water from the little waterfall and the scent of foliage from ‘their’ grotto. He told her about how he had come to adopt Rin.

 

“I was traveling in rural China, looking into the feasibility of importing Chinese tree peonies, both to Japan and the United States. Some very desirable and practically mythic varieties of the past continued to be cultivated in relatively inaccessible rural areas, and it was in such a place that I found Rin.”  He took a small sip of warmed saki.  Kagome leaned forward, elbows resting on the table, fully engaged in his story.  He resolved to tell her many more of his adventures. 

 

“Even in the most remote of areas, the government had put in place councils, which had the responsibility of making sure that each family could have no more than two children. In many cultures, especially rural cultures, and most of all Asian cultures, a male child is welcomed into the family as a blessing, but a female child is viewed as a burden.  For this reason, it was very common practice in China at the time for many girl babies to be killed in birth, and recorded as being stillborn.”

 

Seeing how sad this made her, he hesitated. “In my youth, I had viewed such goings-on in a favorable light, as a practical means of controlling human populations.  But that was a long time ago.”

 

“How long ago was this, that you viewed murdering innocent baby girls as a good thing?” Kagome asked, her voice quiet but laced with outrage.

 

“Literally hundreds of years ago, Kagome. Actually, when I think of it, fully five hundred years in the past.  It was at that time that I encountered the very first ‘Rin’.  But that is a story for another time.”  He cleared his throat, something she had never heard him do before.  It made him sound vulnerable, and she forgave him somewhat for the callousness of his youth.

 

“In the course of my travels, I realized that I was near a monastery where I had gone to study for a time in my youth. I followed the faint imprint of what had once, in earlier times, been a well-traveled road and eventually came to the ruins of that monastery.”

 

“I found the place to be occupied by a family of feral dogs. Little more than jackals, yet they were doing their best to care for a tiny little girl child, barely old enough to crawl.”

 

He noticed that tears were making tracks down Kagome’s cheeks. He knew he was in love, for the first time in his long life.

 

“Having become soft in my old age, I found the situation most affecting as well.”

 

“Your old age!” Kagome exclaimed.  “You only appear to be in your early twenties, just a few years older than InuYasha.  It is hard to fathom that you remember a things that took place a half-millenia ago.”

 

“Wait until I introduce you to father. I’m sure you would think he bears the outward appearance of a man in his late twenties, when in reality he has seen the passing of twenty-hundred years.” 

 

Her mouth formed an ‘O’. “Wow.  I bet he has a few stories to tell, himself.”

 

‘And does he love to tell them,’ he added mentally. She would find out for herself soon enough, if he had his way.

 

“Being well able to communicate with canines of any type, I let the pack know that I, who was as a god to them, was taking responsibility for the pup. I was sure that, as a burdensome girl-child, the pup had been disposed of by her birth family.  Frankly, I felt more compunction about taking her from the little pack which had been doing its best to take care of her than taking her away from the humans who feel such lack of regard for their own offspring.”

 

“Dealing with the Chinese government to try to attain legal rights to the child who was to become known as Rin would have been nonproductive.”

 

“I have seen a documentary about how difficult that can be.” Kagome offered, sparing him from describing the pitfalls of adopting orphaned children from communist countries.

 

“From my father and mother, I have inherited the ability to transport myself rapidly from place to place.”

 

“Like teleportation?” She asked.

 

“In a way. It was a risk, because I had never attempted to travel such a distance in this manner before, and most particularly not carrying another being with me, but I decided to do it.  I made my way to the edge of the land, and ‘teleported’, as you term it, across the sea to Japan.  In that country, my family still possesses a great deal of status.  It was easy for me to have papers filed, which showed Rin as the orphan of a Japanese family, and just as easy to adopt her and keep her as my own.”

 

“Rin has always shown an affinity for plants and animals. Sometimes I suspect she has some residual memories of her time living with the dog pack as part of the natural world.  She had been attending college in expectation of becoming a veterinarian, when she became involved in this animal rights group, which is quite militant.  You must understand that I have let Rin make her own decisions in life…”

 

“I can understand her wanting to save animals from suffering. But whatever did she do with a hundred rabbits?”  Kagome asked.

 

“I have no idea, no do I want to know.”

 

 

 

    


	6. Chapter 6

Kagome shut her eyes as she allowed the slice of Kobe beef to melt on her tongue. A hint of citrus and a subtle whisper of ginger added piquancy to the rich, amazingly tender bite of meat.  She allowed the protective presence of Sesshomaru beside her as well as the serene atmosphere of her surroundings to permeate her being.  When her eyes finally opened, it was to the sight of him moving his hand to cover hers as it rested on the linen tablecloth.  She stared at his hand, which looked as if it were sheltering and protecting her own, much smaller one.  Never, ever, had she thought she would feel this cherished.

 

“Kagome, do you trust me?” Sesshomaru asked, very quietly.  The fine hairs on her arms and the back of her neck stood up.  “We’re going to have some company soon.  I don’t know what is going to be said, but some of it might not be pleasant.  Take your cues from me.”  He gave her hand a squeeze, and she could tell he took care not to exert too much pressure or hurt her with his claws.  Sometimes, InuYasha was not so careful.

 

Rin often felt guilty for all the years she had eaten meat and worn leather shoes. She felt especially guilty when she thought about the bunny fur coat she had wanted so badly for her tenth birthday, and the time she had run over someone’s cat in the road when she was first learning to drive.

 

Tonight was the first time she had ever felt guilty over Sesshomaru. When she saw his sharp eyes focus on her and Papa, hiding behind the torii gate, the golden aura that had seemed to surround her father and his lady had receded, and become only candlelight.

 

Rin realized that it was because of her interference that the enchanted couple had disappeared, replaced by a hard-faced businessman in an Armani suit holding the hand of a girl, only a few years older than herself, in a twenty-dollar dress from Old Navy.

 

Papa’s eyes were fixed on the girl, Sesshomaru’s eyes were locked on Papa. The temperature in the room seemed to have dropped suddenly by twenty degrees.  Determined to remedy the tense atmosphere, Rin tried to disengage herself from Papa, but found that his sheltering arm had turned into a band of steel. 

 

It was definitely time to pull out all the stops on her patented ‘Sweet Little Rin’ routine.

 

She decided to start with her 150-watt smile. “It looks like these two are too busy going all alpha male on each other to introduce us.  I am Sesshomaru’s daughter, Rin.  And this is my grandpa, Inu Taisho.”

 

“It is nice to meet you, Rin. My name is Kagome.  Kagome Higurashi.”  Kagome’s hand was still trapped under Sesshomaru’s, and Rin was  equally trapped close to Inu Taisho’s side, so she settled for trying to look as friendly as she could, given the circumstances.  The atmosphere of the restaurant had lost its tranquillity.  The patrons at the other tables stirring and murmuring uneasily.  Sesshomaru and Inu Taisho’s rising jyaki was becoming hard to ignore.

 

The hostess, accompanied by a human waiter whose amazingly fit physique was shown off by his tight-fitting black uniform, approached the table. The hostess bowed respectfully, while the waiter stood at her shoulder, arms crossed in front of his chest.  “My lords, I would be honored to offer your party a table in our banquet room, if you would care for more privacy.”  She suggested.

 

“That will not be necessary. My father will be leaving now.”  Sesshomaru’s voice was cold as ice cubes.

 

“Are you dismissing me, Sesshomaru? Perhaps you fear your whore will prove as disloyal to you as she is to your brother.” 

 

Inu Taisho speared Kagome with his amber eyes, which were harsh with contempt and condemnation. “What say you, girl.  No need to waste your talents on a whelp like Sesshomaru,  This Inu Taisho is more capable of satisfying a bitch than either of my sons.”

 

Sesshomaru’s chair crashed to the black-lacquered wood floor with a bang as he disappeared and reappeared inches from his father. “Outside.  Now.”  He clashed his fangs in an instinctive sign of challenge.

 

“Rin, stay with Kagome. I trust you will treat her with civility.”  He watched with approval as Rin pried herself away from Inu Taisho and walked around the table to position herself behind Kagome’s chair.

 

Once it became clear the two demons were headed for the parking lot, followed closely by the hostess, the waiter righted Sesshomaru’s chair, and seated Rin as though nothing untoward had taken place. “Could I interest you ladies in dessert?  Mochi ice cream, or perhaps one of our European pastries?” 

 

Rin, while seething with a mixture of curiosity and shame, admired the fact that Kagome’s hands barely trembled as she rested them on the linen tablecloth, though her cheeks were as red as cherries. “I think the occasion calls for chocolate.  Master Jaken spilled the beans about you and Sesshomaru eating here  all week, but I bet my daddy never told you that The Thousand Crane has the most decadent dessert menu in Hartford.”

 

 

 

 


	7. Chapter 7

 Rin had been talking a mile a minute since Inu Taisho and Sesshomaru left the table, trying to keep the older girl from following them out of the restaurant.  “…he expects them to be obeyed to the letter.  And anyway…  They’re gone.”

 

Kagome didn’t have to ask how she knew. The heavy, oppressive atmosphere had lifted.  It felt as if the barometric pressure had suddenly risen after the passing of a storm.  Their handsome waiter reappeared, bearing several fist-sized brown lumps on little individual dessert plates, along with a shapely green bottle and two glasses on his tray. 

 

“Cream puffs and Champagne. You are going to love this, Kagome.”  Rin promised, as the waiter popped the cork on the bottle, and filled the flutes with the clear, effervescent wine.

 

“Not that I don’t appreciate this, Rin,” Kagome said softly, prodding the golden crust of her cream puff with the little silver dessert fork that the waiter had positioned beside the china plate.  “But it seems wrong to sit here eating cream puffs and drinking Champagne when I am the cause of your father and grandfather fighting.”

 

Rin set down her Champagne flute. “If I stopped eating every time those two got into a fight, I’d be as skinny as you.”  She made big eyes at Kagome, and popped a huge bite of the cream puff into her mouth.

 

“They do this often? I thought that they were close.”

 

Rin chewed vigorously and then swallowed. “Did Sesshomaru tell you that?”

 

“Err, no. InuYasha did.”  Actually, InuYasha had told her that Sesshomaru kept his nose so far up Inu Taisho’s ass that it was permanently stained brown.

 

“So, how is it that you know both my dad and my uncle, anyway?”

 

Kagome, who had decided to finally try a sip of Champagne, had to make a real effort to keep the effervescent liquid from shooting out her nostrils. She fanned her face with her hand, trying to dissipate the stinging sensation in her nose, before she caught herself and pressed her palms flat on the tablecloth.  “I work for Shichinintai Bail Bonds, the company that posted your bond.  I had to get Sesshomaru’s signature on your paperwork.  And your uncle is a police detective.  The law enforcement community in Hartford very close-knit.  I know everyone on the police force.”

 

“Really. Because from what Inu Taisho said, I was kind of under the impression that you were having sex with both of them.”  Rin had to admit, she owed a lot to Master Jaken.  He was still the best at instigating and aggravating, but she was an apt pupil.  Kagome’s cheeks were once again flying bright red flags.  “It’s pretty hard to hide things from a dog demon’s nose.”  She added.

 

“Rin! No!  I’m not doing… that… with your father.  We’re not even dating, really.  We are just… getting to know each other…”  Kagome fumbled.

 

“So, what you are saying is that you are Uncle InuYasha’s woman, and you are hoping to move up to my father, who is more successful?” Rin asked, innocently.  Muhahahaha!  “No wonder Inu Taisho was so mean to you…”

 

Rin was obviously studying for the wrong career field. She would be horrifyingly effective if she decided to pursue a career as a prosecuting attorney, or interrogating suspected terrorists for the Department of Homeland Security.

 

“Rin, I just really like your father. And he seems to like me.  But I met your uncle when I was really young and naive, and…”

 

Jaken would be disappointed in her. It was no longer fun to see Kagome, who was obviously a really nice lady, in so much agony.  “And even though you know in your heart that he lies to you and cheats on you, and generally treats you like crap, somehow he always manages to make you feel bad so you don’t dump his ass, right?”

 

Kagome, who had been on the verge of rocking back and forth in her seat in misery, looked up, startled at the change in the girl’s voice. “How did you know all that?”

 

“As a teenager, I had a major crush on InuYasha. I guess part of the appeal was the drama, knowing how ticked off both Sesshomaru and InuPapa would be if we got together.  And then there’s InuYasha himself.  Fooling around with a full demon is serious stuff.  Mating for life and all that.  But InuYasha is like ‘Demon Lite’.  All the taste, half the calories.  Ruggedly handsome, bad-boy attitude.  And, well, he didn’t exactly discourage me.  He told me that he had loved me for a long time, and that I was the only girl for him.  The reason I know about him lying and cheating on you, is because that is exactly how he treated me, after he took my, you know.”  It was Rin’s turn to blush, but she didn’t do it as impressively as Kagome.  “Virginity.”

 

Kagome knew damned well that Rin was only twenty. She was dying to know exactly how long ago all this drama had taken place.

 

“Two years ago, when I was eighteen.” Rin supplied.

 

“Oh, no. Did I say that out loud?”  Sometimes her thoughts came out of her mouth without her noticing.

 

Rin nodded.

 

‘That means he was busy seducing his niece while pretending to be my steady boyfriend!’ Kagome had a flash of memory.  That would have been about the time that InuYasha had shown up at her apartment, expecting to be coddled because he was walking on crutches, and had an array of broken ribs and a broken jaw.  Good thing he liked Mrs. Grass’ chicken noodle soup, because that and Jello were the only foods he could eat for a week.

 

“Let me guess. Did Sesshomaru beat the tar out of him when he found out?”

 

“Yep. Daddy did a real number on him.  That was the first and only time that I ever saw Papa side with Sesshomaru.  Papa just stood there with his arms folded, and watched Sesshomaru beat the hell out of InuYasha.  I was so mad at Papa and Daddy at the time.”

 

“So Inu Taisho said those mean things about me because he was afraid I was planning to take advantage of Sesshomaru?”

 

Rin had to finish chewing the bite of cream puff that was in her mouth. Then she took her time licking the whipped cream from between the tangs of her little fork.  “That _could_ be part of it.  But I’m sure it’s mostly his instinctive reaction to anything that he feels is a threat to his precious little InuYasha.”

 

“Even after the thing between you and InuYasha?” Kagome asked.

 

Rin sighed. “I found out that InuYasha crawled back to Papa, telling him all kinds of lies about me seducing him, and using his instincts to lure him into my bed.  It took me a long time to forgive Papa for falling for Yasha’s manipulation.  And Jaken told me that a girl had turned up at Taisho Corp. claiming that InuYasha had gotten her pregnant.  After that, if InuYasha told me it was noon, and I looked at my watch and both hands were pointing at twelve, I’d take it off and throw it in the bushes.”

 

 

  


	8. Chapter 8

My name is Kagome Higurashi. I'm 24 years old, and  I've had the same job since graduating from high school.  I paid the security deposit and first month's rent on the apartment I live in with my first paycheck, and my boyfriend, InuYasha, is the only man I've been intimate with.  Until I met InuYasha's brother ten days ago, I did a pretty good job of keeping my life under control.  My biggest sexual adventure involved me and my shower massager.

 

I'm just as much of a lightweight when it comes to drinking. A couple of bottles of beer on the couch with InuYasha while watching a hockey game was pretty much my limit.  Knocking off a half a bottle of Champagne did not seem to bother Rin at all, but I was feeling pretty tipsy by the time the restaurant closed. 

 

Our waiter, Bobby, offered to drive us home, but Rin insisted on waiting for Sesshomaru in the parking lot. The night was pleasantly cool and the crickets were chirping their farewell to summer.  The moon was rising over the city like a crescent-shaped slice of a ripe, orange peach.

 

Bobby and Rin had moved away and were conversing in muted voices, Rin occasionally breaking out in a giggle when her new friend said something particularly amusing.

 

All three of us saw it at the same time. Bobby's voice rang out clearly in the dark.  "Quick, make a wish!"

 

My eyes focused on the shooting star. I made my wish, the same one I had been making since my tenth birthday, when my aunt had taken me and my cousin Kikyo to see Walt Disney's "Sleeping Beauty", and given me a penny to throw into the fountain in the lobby of the movie theater on the way out.

 

"That's not a meteor, you sillies!" Rin said in a loud, amused voice.  "That is Lord Sesshomaru!"

 

Sure enough, rather than burning out and disappearing as a meteor would upon hitting the earth's atmosphere, the light was getting bigger. What had started out looking like a bright star quickly grew in size until it became a blazing blue sphere which burst in a shower of light fragments as if a mirrored disco ball had exploded over the nearly vacant parking lot.  Out of the shower of unearthly light a god-like figure appeared, plummeting to the asphalt in a flurry of long, flying silver hair.

 

"Sesshomaru Sama!" Rin squealed, clapping her hands in childish glee. 

 

The last of the light fragments twinkled out of sight. In the semi-darkness of the city night, I could make out the impressive breadth of his chest and the narrowness of his hips.  The suit jacket he had been wearing when he left the restaurant was missing, his pale skin glowing through the tattered rags that were all that was left of his white silk dress shirt.

 

He stalked past Rin and Bobby as if they were invisible. My heart pounded in my chest as he closed in on me, his size and the force of his animal magnetism stealing the breath from my lungs as he loomed over me.

 

His big hands closed over my shoulders, claws digging into my flesh. It was the first time he had touched me in anything but a gentlemanly manner, and I felt something in my lower belly clench.  The good-girl part of me was humiliated when I realized I had ruined my panties.

 

Bad-girl Kagome, on the other hand, seemed to have taken over. Bad Kagome did not seemed embarrassed in the least, even when Sesshomaru growled deep in his chest and pulled my body tight against him.

 

Rin said something. For the life of me, I cannot remember what.  But after a few minutes, there was the sound of a car's engine turning over, and the crunch of tires on asphalt. 

 

I realized that somehow, one of Sesshomaru's muscular thighs had become wedged between my legs. One of his hands had made its way south, and was grasping my ass in a way that would make my lecherous coworker, Miroku, proud.  His other hand was working its way into my hair, kneading in a rhythm which my scrambled brain somehow interpreted as comforting and incredibly sensual at the same time.

 

You would think that his alabaster skin and sculpted physique would be cold, like a statue of a Greek God. My lips were too close to resist the temptation, and I found myself pressing them against his chest, which surprised me by being hot to the touch.  I touched the tip of my tongue to his skin.

 

I could feel the deep rumble inside his chest cavity again, and his low voice, no longer like velvet but husky and somewhat strained, ground out my name. "Kagome."

 

Hearing my name like this was something new for me. InuYasha always called me 'baby'.

 

"You taste so good." I whispered back.  "Like salt."

 

He stepped back from me, and his hands relocated to my shoulders, where they had been when he first started seducing my body. "Look at me."  He stated.  I thought his voice sounded terse.  My fingers, which I suddenly realized had been digging into his chest, curled into tight fists and dropped to my sides.

 

I craned my neck, and saw his golden eyes, burning with a strange light as they stared hard into my own. I was a hundred percent sure that he could see perfectly well in the dark, so I did my best to arrange my features to look as non-committal as possible in preparation for the rejection that I was sure was to come.

 

He didn't say or do anything, just stood there looking down at my face with his hands on my shoulders. The longer he stood there without speaking, the more sure that when he did speak, it would be to tell me to go back to his brother.

 

"There is no place for a woman in my life."

 

"For five hundred years, I have managed to avoid the snares of some of the world's most powerful demonesses. Human queens have attempted to entice me."  I had to bow my head, as if  by breaking the eye contact between us I could hide from the words that were coming out of his mouth.

 

"And yet, here you are." He removed his right hand from my shoulder, and gently grasped my chin, forcing me to look into his moonlit face again.

 

"Tempting me beyond all reason." My heart stirred in my chest.

 

"And yet, I will not succumb." And died again.

 

"Unless you can promise me, that you are sure, and that you will not change your mind. Because after all these centuries of guarding my heart, I have been overcome, by a creature so small and soft and ephemeral."   

 

"Do you accept my terms?"

 

 


	9. Chapter 9

Bad Kagome was in favor of allowing Sesshomaru to push my dress up and take me right there. For incentive, she provided a mental picture of me, draped over the hood of Inu Taisho’s little convertible with nearly seven feet of hot, sex-crazed demon between my legs. Good Kagome dug her heels in, screaming that she would never give it up in the middle of a parking lot for anyone wandering the streets to see.

 

And then there was InuYasha to consider. Though Bad Kagome and Good Kagome seemed to be in agreement for once on that one. Neither side felt that I owed that cheating mutt much of anything at this point… My moral dilemma was solved when Sesshomaru’s eyes rolled back in his head and he fell to the pavement like a sack of potatoes. The sound his head made when it bounced off the pavement made my stomach twist.

 

I hit the ground, ignoring the pain in my knees from throwing myself down on loose gravel. He did not respond to shaking. After checking his throat to make sure he had a pulse, I just knelt there for a moment, trying to come up with an intelligent course of action.

 

The headlights of a passing car swept over us, giving me a three-second window to evaluate Sesshomaru’s condition. My heart tightened in my chest when I realized that the slippery saltiness I had noticed on his skin earlier was not sweat as I had believed. It was blood, and there was a lot of it.

 

Fumbling for my cell phone in my purse was my first reflex, but I stopped myself just as my thumb was about to hit the speed dial for 9-1-1.  

 

Emergency responders abide by a strict protocol in the case of demon-related calls. Tranquilize first, secure with physical restraints, and obtain blood samples. A male demon in the throes of a testosterone rush was, by federal law, not considered to be in his right mind.

 

For human defendants, a verdict of “guilty but insane” or “not guilty by reason of insanity” can result in incarceration in a safer and more pleasant facility, with a chance of getting out early if a mental health professional could be convinced that the condition which had led to their crime had improved. For demons, not so much. And all it takes to land a demon involved in an altercation in lockdown is a simple blood test.

 

Besides, I knew from my experience with InuYasha that even though Sesshomaru was a bloody mess, his wounds would heal in less than a week. Most likely, it would only take a day or two, since Sesshomaru’s demon blood was stronger than his half-human brother’s. All he really needed was a safe, quiet place to recover.

 

With that goal in mind, I threw my phone back in my purse and stuck my hand in Sesshomaru’s right trouser pocket. I found something, all right, but not the key ring I was hoping for. That did not surprise me too much. I was pretty sure I remembered seeing him put his keys in the pocket of his suit jacket, and God only knew where that had ended up. Without much hope, I tried his left pocket, which at first grope appeared to be empty. But just when I had myself convinced that all my wiggling fingers were going to find was Sesshomaru’s Johnson, they bumped against something… The chunky plastic and metal shape of a late-model car key.

 

I clambered to my feet, clutching the key in my hand. It was too dark to figure out which button to push to unlock the doors, so I fumbled around until I found the keyhole in the driver’s side door. When I popped open the door, the Escalade’s interior lit up. The little dome light that came on when the door opened somehow made me feel lots better.

 

You already know that I work at Shichinintai Bail Bonds, right? Now does not seem like a great time to go into a lot of detail about my job description. Let’s just say that when it comes to wrestling dead weight into a vehicle, this is not my first rodeo.

 


	10. Chapter 10

I spit out a clump of hair that had somehow found its way into my mouth. If you were to ask me, I couldn’t tell you if it was mine or his. Sesshomau’sama might look elegant in a thousand-dollar suit cut lean enough to show off the bone structure of a hundred-and-fifty-pound GQ model, but I would have had more luck attempting to shove a pound of spaghetti noodles back into the box than I was having loading him into the back seat of his Escalade. After they had boiled over on the stove. If I had to guess, he had to go at least three, maybe three-fifty. I was slippery with my own sweat, and his sweat, and his blood. There wasn’t an inch of my anatomy that hadn’t rubbed against his anatomy, but I can tell you, I was trembling with fatigue, not pleasure. And fear, too. Let me tell you about fear. I was sure that every car that passed was the police with their tranq guns and restraining shackles.

 

Somehow, totally unaware, over the course of the meals he had shared with me, I had become totally invested in protecting my boyfriend’s powerful, alpha-male demon half-brother.

 

I did some yoga breathing, visualizing myself as being strong and competent, but once again he slipped out of my grip, head bouncing on the pavement. Go, Kagome.

 

A car’s headlights swept across the nearly empty parking lot, and I pressed myself flat against Sesshomaru. I prayed to Grandpa’s gods for invisibility.   Or as Gramps would call it, the ability to become one with the asphalt of the parking lot, and escape notice. It seemed like a stretch, but maybe Grandpa’s gods were Sesshomaru’s gods, as well, because the car went by, leaving behind just the echoing bass from a set of truly kick-ass speakers.

 

I pressed my face into his chest, and, against all logic, felt reassured. He was beat up and unconscious, and I didn’t have a plan about how to get him to safety. But it was going to be all right. We were together, and it was going to be all right. Nuzzling. Nuzzling felt good and right. And stroking his silky hair. “You are fine, I am fine, but I need you.  Come back to me, Sesshomaru. I need you here with me now.”  What the hell. If I had any sense at all, I would be calling someone. Jakotsu, Miroku, my friend and sometime-savior, Sally Sweet. But something, which I would recognize as instinct now, told me to keep this between the two of us. Wouldn’t even allow me to bring anyone else into this. This strange thing I didn’t have time to think about now. “It’s just the two of us,” I told him. “And I need you. Please, Sesshomaru, come back to me.”  I continued the stroking, and nuzzling, and mumbling. I can’t say when, but eventually I realized that somehow, his hand was in my hair, and he was stroking as well.

 

If I were a princess in one of Grandpa’s old stories, the tears that poured out of my eyes would be beautiful, like diamonds or pearls, or at least raindrops. They would not be mixed with snot. And they would fall on the handsome prince and he would be miraculously healed, and if, in the story, he did happen to be a demon prince, he would carry me off to his castle and we would live happily ever after. But this was real life, and my tears got all mixed up with my snot, and it was all fine, because between the two of us, we managed to get into the safety of the Escalade, got the heater on, the driver’s seat adjusted, and merged, not too smoothly into the anonymity of the flow of midnight traffic.       

 

      


End file.
